Anxiety + EWT

Anxiety + EWT

1. LOFTUS ET AL

   • sit outside lab where there were 2 conditions
     • Low anxiety - no weapon, man left with pen and peaceful convo
     • High anxiety - heated convo + man left with knife
   • 49% recall in LOW and 33% in HIGH
     • lead to weapon focus effect- EW have poor recall as anxiety was heightened

2. LOFTUS + BURNS

   • film of robbery; one non violent version and a violent version where boy was shot
     • non violent recalled more details than violent
       • shock heightened arousal and disrupted recall

3. RELIABILITY

   • Loftus - controlled EV's + standardised procedure = easy to replicate
     • large number of studies and found same outcome that anxiety has negative outcome

4. LACK VALIDITY

   • Loftus' tasks were artificial
     • e.g. watching simulated robberies
       • difficult to reproduce real life conditions as it is not as unexpected + emotional
         • Foster et al

5. CHRISTIANSON + HUBINETTE

   • contradictory evidence- emotional arousal can enhance recall
     • 110 witnesses to 22 robberies those threatened were more accurate in details
       • opposite of Loftus, refutes methodology + results